Large area elastomer bonded sputtering target and method for manufacturing

Abstract

The present invention includes an assembly comprised of a large sputtering target attached to a backing plate by an elastomer, such as a silicone elastomer, and a method for attaching the large sputtering target to the backing plate using the elastomer as an attachment layer. The method of the present invention comprises the steps of applying a quantity of the elastomer to the backing plate and/or to the sputtering target, where the sputtering target has a sputtering surface having a surface area greater than 6600 square centimeters. The backing plate and the sputtering target are then brought together either with or without a thermal transfer member positioned between the backing plate and the sputtering target.

1 . A method for attaching a sputtering target to a backing plate comprising: 
 applying a quantity of an elastomer to a backing plate and/or to a sputtering target, the sputtering target having a sputtering surface and a mating surface that each have a surface area greater than 6600 square centimeters; and    bringing the backing plate and the sputtering target together so that the mating face of the sputtering target is substantially covered with the elastomer.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the elastomer comprises a silicone elastomer.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the silicone elastomer comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sputtering surface has a surface area greater than 22,000 square centimeters.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 positioning a thermal transfer member between the backing plate and the sputtering target so that the thermal transfer member is at least partially coated with the elastomer.    
     
     
         6 . A method for attaching a sputtering target to a backing plate comprising: 
 applying a quantity of an elastomer to a mating surface of a backing plate and/or to a mating surface of a sputtering target, the sputtering target having a sputtering surface whose surface area is greater than 6600 square centimeters;    bringing the mating surface of the backing plate and the mating surface of the sputtering target together with a thermal transfer member positioned between the mating surface of the backing plate and the mating surface of the sputtering target so that the thermal transfer member becomes coated with the elastomer; and    allowing the elastomer to form an elastomer bond that holds the sputtering target to the backing plate.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the thermal transfer member comprises one or more pieces of metal screen.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein a hot fluid is run through the inside of the backing plate to accelerate the formation of the elastomer bond.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 applying heat to the backing plate and/or the sputtering target to accelerate the formation of the elastomer bond; and    recording one or more infrared images of the sputtering target as the sputtering target is allowed to cool down so that the presence of hot spots in the elastomer bond can be detected.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6  further comprising: 
 before allowing the elastomer bond to form, applying a force to the sputtering target to help evenly distribute the elastomer.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the sputtering surface comprises a plurality of individual sputtering surfaces with each of the individual sputtering surfaces comprising a face of a separate tile.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising filling a space between two or more of the individual sputtering surfaces with a filler material, the filler material and the two or more individual sputtering surfaces all being comprised of substantially the same substance.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the filler material comprises a metal foil or a metal alloy foil.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the elastomer comprises a silicone elastomer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the silicone elastomer comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the sputtering target includes a mating surface that has a surface area greater than 6600 square centimeters and the mating surface is substantially covered with the elastomer.  
     
     
         17 . A sputtering target assembly comprised of: 
 a sputtering target having a sputtering surface whose surface area is greater than 6600 square centimeters;    a backing plate; and    an elastomer layer positioned between the sputtering target and the backing plate for attaching the sputtering target to the backing plate and for providing thermal conductivity between the sputtering target to the backing plate.    
     
     
         18 . The sputtering target assembly of  claim 17  wherein the elastomer comprises a silicone elastomer.  
     
     
         19 . The sputtering target assembly of  claim 18  wherein the silicone elastomer comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).  
     
     
         20 . The sputtering target assembly of  claim 17  wherein the elastomer layer includes a thermal promoter means for facilitating the transfer of heat from the sputtering target to the backing plate when the sputtering target assembly is in operation.  
     
     
         21 . The sputtering target assembly of  claim 20  wherein the thermal promoter means comprises one or more pieces of metal screen imbedded in the elastomer layer.  
     
     
         22 . The sputtering target assembly of  claim 21  wherein the thermal promoter means also includes a plurality of metal particles embedded in the elastomer layer.  
     
     
         23 . The sputtering target assembly of  claim 17  wherein the sputtering target comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an elemental metal, a metal alloy and ceramics.